The Consultant - Q1 2009 - (Page 28) PERSPECTIVES canada trade are not that easy to find. For Lepine, it meant a lot of online research and looking outside traditional supplier circles to come up with the goods. “It may be a bit more expensive at the start, but sourcing is getting better as more restaurants are looking for these types of technologies.” Of course not all chefs have the wherewithal or even the inclination to design a technology showcase from scratch. Aprile notes that he has been using technology aids for at least eight years. Like Lepine, he is a prolific user of liquid nitrogen (800 to 1000 lbs. a week) for instant freezing, since it allows him to suspend things at specific times when required. He also uses standard paint guns for chocolate work. For anyone wanting to explore molecular gastronomy for their operations, Aprile says a good place to start is an immersion circulator, followed by a dehydrator. “You can probably fi nd something on eBay. You should also buy some good books to learn about science because it’s the kind of cooking where you can’t screw around with measurements and units. You have to be organized and measure everything.” Duby adds that when looking at equipment investment, chefs can do a surprising number of things with what they already have. “Everybody is gung-ho about sous-vide and think they have to buy a thermal circulator. But a lot of the same things can be done in conventional steam ovens or drawers. It’s easy to come into a kitchen and say you need to invest $300,000 – but it’s not easy to implement that.” The key, he says, is performing a gap analysis to determine what you have, where you want to be, and what training and/or equipment investments you need to make to achieve the desired results. In some MARKET At Colborne Lane, miso-glazed cod is topped with puffed seaweed noodles and accompanied with sesame panacotta, pistachios and green onion emulsion. For Aprile, his cuisine is about textures, colours and intense flavors. INTERNATIONAL cases, you can underestimate the costs of certain items. For example, the cost of liquid nitrogen is relatively low, but you need to factor in the storage requirements. “The main problem when trying to use an existing kitchen is that it initially was not intended for this type of approach,” he explains. “But it can be done at relatively little cost if you plan it right – and do your research.” Creative thinking However avant-garde one gets with their ingredients and equipment, no effort will succeed without a solid grounding in the tried and true basics, says Aprile. “At the end of the day, chefs have to really understand tradition before they can progress or they’ll simply head into culinary derailment by focusing too much on technology versus flavor. It doesn’t matter if the food comes off a laser or not. It has to taste good.” When it comes to molecular gastronomy – or whatever label you choose to put on it – Aprile says the biggest and most important tool is our minds. “The creative process is more than the technology. You can have all the tools in the world, but if you don’t have the curiosity, then they’re rendered useless.” Denise Deveau is a freelance writer based in Toronto and a regular contributor to Foodservice & Hospitality and Hotelier magazines. She can be reached at denise@ denised.com 28 theconsultant
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